


London Birthdays

by Bookworm1063



Series: CO Countdown 2020 [28]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28252212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookworm1063/pseuds/Bookworm1063
Summary: Baz is attending college in London, far away from his home and boyfriend in New York. Simon surprises him on his birthday.
Relationships: Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Series: CO Countdown 2020 [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026988
Kudos: 37
Collections: Carry On Countdown 2020





	London Birthdays

It’s my birthday.

It doesn’t matter, not really. I don’t have a lot of friends in London, even after six months here. There’s no one to celebrate with. All my friends are attending schools back home, except Wellbelove, who’s in California, and Bunce, who’s at Harvard.

I’ll probably FaceTime with Snow later. It’ll be the highlight of my day.

I get to the front of the coffee shop line and order my usual. It takes almost ten minutes to get my drink, and I drain the paper cup on my way to my first class.

I never should have gone to LSE.

I don’t live on campus. My father owns an apartment a few blocks from the London School of Economics, and I’m living there. For the next four years.

No campus housing means there’s little reason for my father to pay for the tickets back to New York, which I think was part of his plan. Keep me away from Fiona, keep me away from Simon. But I couldn’t ask Fiona to pay for school when Malcolm was offering a free ride at LSE.

I climb the stairs to my apartment (they call it a _flat_ , here. It’s something I’ve heard Fiona say, but I haven’t lived in Britain since I was five) and unlock my front door.

The apartment is quiet. Dark. Empty, as usual.

I hit the light switch next to the door, and the world explodes.

_“Happy birthday!”_

People jump out from behind the sofa and the other side of the kitchen door—Wellbelove, Bunce, Dev, Niall, Shep. Simon is standing in front of me for the first time in six months.

I can’t believe it.

Simon smiles at me and reaches for my hands. “Happy birthday, Baz.”

I tug him closer to me and kiss him, and our friends laugh and cheer. Penelope produces a tray of chocolate cupcakes, and everyone sings before I blow out the candles. Agatha puts on some music, and people dance on my sad yellow sofa.

“Why did you come?” I ask Simon.

“I haven’t seen you in six months,” Simon says. “And it’s your birthday.”

“I wasn’t sure…” I lean my shoulder against his and tuck my head under his chin, even though I’m taller than he is. “I didn’t know if you’d decide this was worth it.”

The day I told him I was moving to London for four years, we both cried.

Simon kisses the top of my head and takes my hand in both of his. “You’re worth it, Baz,” he says. “You are completely worth all of it.”

“I don’t think I’m worth the price of five round-trip flights between New York City and London, Snow,” I argue. “Plus getting Bunce and Wellbelove to and from school.”

“No,” Simon agrees. “I’d have paid twice that to see you.”

I think I’m falling in love with him all over again.

We eat cupcakes, and we laugh, and we dance. I can deal with London if Simon is here. I can deal with all of it. 


End file.
